The Recursive’s weekly roundup aims to cover key tech developments across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the growing impact of CEE-born founders on the global stage. Take a look at the latest news in funding, startup milestones, and emerging trends tied to the region’s innovation potential.
CEE news & deals
Hungarian AI-powered virtual biology company Turbine has raised a $25 million (€21.26 million) Series B led by Interactive Venture Partners, with backing from Beiersdorf Venture Capital, Accel, MSD Global Health Innovation, and Mercia Asset Management.
Czech startup ValkaAI has raised €12 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Rockaway Ventures, with participation from J&T Ventures, Tensor Ventures, BD Partners, and Fond Naše Česko. The round ranks among the largest pre-seed investments in Central and Eastern Europe.
Poland-based defence tech firm FlyFocus has raised €4.5 million in its first institutional funding round, led by ffVC with participation from the NCBR Investment Fund, after eight years of self-funded growth. The investment will support a new manufacturing facility in Poland and the launch of two NATO-aligned UAV platforms later this year.
Czech-based RobosizeME has raised a $2 million (€1.7 million) oversubscribed seed round led by SeedTwo Capital to expand its AI-powered workflow automation for the global hotel industry. The startup’s platform streamlines manual back-office operations such as reservations, finance, and guest services, helping hotel operators reduce errors, lower costs, and improve efficiency. Other investors participating in the round include CEE-based BrightCap Ventures, who led the previous round, and Botanique Hospitality, along with several Czech angel investors.
Updates on CEE-rooted companies
Greek-founded Axelera AI, a European leader in AI acceleration hardware, has announced a new funding round led by Innovation Industries, with new investors including BlackRock and SiteGround Capital alongside existing backers such as Bitfury, CDP Venture Capital, and Samsung Catalyst Fund. Since its founding in July 2021, the company has secured more than $450 million through equity, grants, and venture debt.
Bulgarian BrightCap Ventures has announced the exit of Peruse, a Fund I portfolio company acquired by US-based logistics fintech OTR Solutions, which processes more than 4 million invoices annually. Peruse developed AI-powered document automation for the freight industry. Backed by BrightCap in late 2023, the acquisition marks the firm’s fifth portfolio exit to date.
Across the Atlantic
OpenAI has announced a $110 billion funding round led by Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank, valuing the company at $730 billion pre-money, up sharply from $500 billion in October. Alongside its $50 billion investment, Amazon also entered a multiyear strategic partnership with OpenAI to develop customized AI models for its customer-facing applications.
